Is there a 233bhp Yamaha R1 in making?

Snapshot: Expected to be launched at Milan Motor Show (EICMA) this November, the new R1 is expected to come into existance because of the new rules of World Superbike Championship (WSBK)

According to the rumours flying in from Australia, there is a new Yamaha YZF R1 around somewhere which produces a whopping 233bhp of maximum power and can be launched at EICMA 2014 this November. According to the spy pictures, it does not look very different from the present version and that, for some, can be a let-down.

A lot can be blamed on the new rules introduced in the WSBK series which, in a nutshell, say that the motorcycles competing in the championship should be homologated. It simply means that these machines will be largely based on the production models available in the market which also means that engine modifications at the time of the races will be very much constrained. Homologation also means that a certain numbers of these machines be sold in the market before they can start competing in WSBK which in turn means that these motorcycles might be as good as the one your neighbour is riding to office every day. The engine architecture however is expected to be the same; 4 cylinder, crossplane crankshaft with some additional features to get the max out of it. This version can be compared to BMW's HP4 which is a juiced-up version of its already very powerful S1000RR. This can be blamed on Yamaha's desperation to make a comeback in the world of WSBK in 2015.

There is also an another version being developed which is meant to replace the current version of the YZF R1. The current version delivers an optimum power of 182.1bhp and the latest version is expected to deliver somewhere around 185-190bhp of power and a dual-clutch keeping up with the time and the competition being offered by motorcycles like BMW's S100RR.